Easy Pecan Pralines

There's nothing like old-fashioned Easy Pecan Pralines, a delicious and creamy Southern candy that's ready in about 30 minutes! These are seriously the BEST Southern pecan pralines!

Looking for more homemade candy recipes? You might also like these great desserts: Quick Easy Fudge and Homemade Mounds Candy Bars.

Why I love this pecan praline candy

• This is a really special recipe that was given to me by my cousin Pat in Laredo, TX in the late 70s! I was the kid who collected recipes, lol. These pralines are just AMAZING!! (Check out my cute vintage recipe card in the photo below and also a recent pic of Pat and I at our cousin Claire's wedding. So happy to see her!)

• These soft and crunchy candies make excellent edible Christmas gifts for the holiday season and are sure to disappear quickly.

• It's sometimes called New Orleans Pralines or Louisiana Pralines. I guess you could call this the Texas version which is incredible by the way.

• The brown sugar, milk and butter combine to create an amazing flavor! When you take a bite, you get a little bit candy and a little bit cookie, they melt right in your mouth.

• You're going to absolutely love this homemade pecan praline recipe!

What you need

Ingredient Notes

Evaporated Milk - I used evaporated milk because that is what is in the original recipe that I've had all these years. If you don't have it, milk, half and half, heavy cream, or buttermilk will also work well in the same amount.

Vanilla Extract - Always use pure vanilla extract and not vanilla flavoring.

Orange Zest - Most pralines recipes don't include orange zest but that's what makes this recipe a little extra special. It adds just a hint of orange flavor. You can omit this, if desired.

Butter - Use unsalted butter, room temperature or cold. It doesn't have to be softened because it will be melted on the stove.

How to make pralines pecan candy

1. Whisk together the main ingredients (light brown sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla and butter) in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Keep whisking until completely combined
2. Boil until the sugar mixture reaches the soft ball stage or 240° degrees F using a candy thermometer.
3. Remove from fire. Add zest and pecans; stir (while still hot) until combined.
4. Let it cool slightly (few minutes), then use a cookie scoop to scoop dollops of the praline mixture onto parchment paper (or wax paper) lined sheet pan. Don't let it cool too much or it will be too thick to scoop. Once you have it scooped onto paper, let it cool until set. Enjoy!

Expert Tips

• Use a candy thermometer. You want to make sure you have the right temperature or your pralines will not turn out correctly.

• Work quickly when scooping out the candy mixture, so the mixture doesn’t firm up too quickly.

• Add a pinch of salt if you like adding salt to your sweet treat.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the soft-ball stage? A way of testing sugar syrup to see if it has boiled to the stage where it becomes candy. To find out, you drop a little bit of boiling syrup into cold water. If it forms a soft ball which will flatten on its own when removed, then it has reached that stage. On a candy thermometer the temperature would be 240°F.

Should You Refrigerate Pralines? There is no need to refrigerate pecan pralines. They will keep for about three weeks in an air-tight container at room temperature.

How Long Does It Take for Pecan Pralines to Harden? Depending on the mixture and the temperature of your kitchen, pecan pralines will harden in anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour and a half. On average, they will take about 30 minutes to harden.

Should I use pecans halves or chopped pecans? Either should work! I like using chopped pecans but you can absolutely use pecan halves if you prefer. Just a personal preference.

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